Application of Plunger Assisted Intermittent Gas Lift Increases the Production in Mature Oil Fields

In conventional intermittent gas lift wells, the injected gas penetrates the liquid slug causing some of the slug fluid to slip downward with the consequent loss of oil production. As well, a large part of gas is not able to perform the useful work in piston-pushing the oil slug above it. The inherent inefficiency of intermittent gas lift owing to fluid fall back from the liquid slug during its upward travel can be overcome by introducing a solid interface between the slow-moving liquid and the fast-moving gas in the form of a plunger. A decrease of injection gas requirement and possible increase of liquid production is envisaged by converting the existing intermittent gas lift wells to plunger-assisted intermittent gas lift mode. The extent of gain in production or saving in injection gas has to be ascertained by field trials with this mode. Intermittent gas lift wells which have paraffin deposition problems are suitable candidates for installation of this mode. The tubing will be kept free from paraffin, with the up and down motion of the plunger. This will result in savings on regular paraffin scrapping jobs with scrapers and its associated costs